


Three Remain

by TickTockTam



Category: Ninjago - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Death, Gen, Sad, Set in the future, Sort of AU, Suicide, The feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2018-08-31 17:17:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8587048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TickTockTam/pseuds/TickTockTam
Summary: Set many years into the future; Lloyd, Cole, and Zane are the only ninja remaining. No longer part of a team, how will they cope? Each chapter is set about a month after the previous. Rated T for heavy death themes.





	1. The Sky's Tears

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the original draft of this story back before Day of the Departed came out, and so Cole is still a ghost in it. Thus, it is a little bit 'AU', but just about everything else fits in with the canon universe.
> 
> PLEASE NOTE! This story is not intended to condone or glorify suicide. It is about the emotions of grieving characters. If you are thinking of hurting yourself, please contact an emergency hotline. If stories describing suicidal thoughts could upset you, please refrain from reading.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole, the ghost, doomed to exist forever after his friends died of natural causes. How will he escape this curse?

_'As long as there's something worth fighting for, there's always a need for a ninja.'_

That's what Kai had said all those decades ago after Lloyd's prophesied battle, wasn't it?

But what was there worth fighting for now?

These were the thoughts cascading through Cole's mind as he remained sprawled on his back; he had been lying motionlessly on his bed for a period of time he hadn't bothered to keep track of. Did time even matter anymore? He was cursed to exist forever, longer than he would have ever hoped to live. He had remained a teenager--albeit a ghostly, green-tinged one--while Jay, Nya, and Kai grew into adulthood and beyond until the passing years took their toll on them. Kai had been the first to go. Jay had passed away more recently, shortly followed by Nya. And now the only ninja left were the ghost, the nindroid, and the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master; the ninja that age had much less effect on.

Cole remembered how he had felt back when Sensei Wu had first invited Kai to join the ninja team. He had been resentful, believing that 3 ninja were enough and that adding another was unnecessary. Well, now there were three ninja again, and it never felt so wrong.

Cole finally rolled onto his side and let out a long forlorn sigh, closing his eyes as if shutting out his surroundings could help him escape the mental torture of reality. His family was gone. Not just both of his parents, but the teammates he had fought beside and come to accept as family.

Could he, Lloyd, and Zane even still be considered ninja?

Jay, Nya, and Kai had been physically incapable of fighting for years before their deaths. And besides, Ninjago seemed to be at peace now. Epic battles and perilous threats were but a distant memory for most, although all the bravery, teamwork, and support Cole had experienced still burned vividly in his mind like Kai's relentless fire. With half of the team long gone, Cole hadn't even seen Lloyd or Zane since Nya's funeral. He had instead locked himself away in his house, alone aside from his suffocating thoughts.

Eventually, Cole heaved himself upright and stood on the floor. Though he was weightless, his feet felt heavier than lead and even with his supposed extreme strength, it took all of his might to put one foot in front of the other. He knew where he was going. A place he visited every day. A place that served as his only reason to step outside.

The sky was a soft blue, and lined with grayish clouds. Even though slim rays of sunlight reached out to him, as if beckoning him, Cole didn't look up as he trudged towards his destination. His gaze was fixated on the ground; the green grass and brown dust that passed beneath him in a moderate blur. There was an eerie silence as if he truly was just as alone as he felt. He didn't breathe. He didn't have to. Sometimes breathing helped him feel as if he was alive again, but that was the last thing he wanted.

After some time, Cole found himself climbing up a flight of rocky, slightly crumbling stairs. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. A rhythmic pattern that he followed subconsciously, nothing driving him other than his desire to once again visit the resting places of those who would never wake up.

The grounds of the monastery, the very first place the original ninja had come together to train under Sensei Wu. This was where Jay, Nya, and Kai were buried, the three cold stone graves all in a row. Behind each one stood a statue of the respective ninja, just like the monument of Zane when he had temporarily sacrificed himself to defeat the Overlord. 

Cole had been a ninja for most of his life. He was supposed to be hardened and tough. But his vision blurred as he stumbled towards the graves and collapsed to his knees. Despite being a ghost, he still felt a raw ache in his chest where his heart would be. All the memories of times he had shared with these three people played in his mind. He felt so empty without them, yet so full of grief and remorse. It wasn't just being a ninja that had given him meaning; it was being with _them_.

Kai, who was hot-headed and egotistical, yet cared about the team and displayed utmost courage that powered everyone else.

Nya, the one who showed him just how strong girls can be and was the first person to make him really feel appreciated.

And Jay, his best friend: Loud, annoying, and hysterical, but his jokes lit up the darkest of times and Cole always shared a deep yet unspoken bond with him.

As Cole knelt before the graves and let his thoughts consume him, he wanted to cry, yet it was impossible for him to shed any tears. He was overflowing with emotion that was trapped inside him, unable to be freed...

And so the sky cried for him.

First there was one drop, and then there were two. Then raindrops pattered all around. For the first time that day, Cole looked up at the sky. His expression of grief slowly faded into one of wonder. As if the weight bearing down on him had been lifted away, he managed to stand and watch the little drops of water fall towards him, offering to take him away so that he could reunite with his deceased friends. The sun still peeked out from behind the gray clouds, as if to represent a glimmer of hope.

Cole didn't panic or look for shelter. He stretched out his arms and embraced the downpour, the sound of the raindrops hitting the ground and statues filling his ears. He felt as if the water was washing all his emotional torment, all his wear and misery, away into oblivion. It was a miracle being gifted to him by something, or someone--perhaps Nya's soul was the force behind the rain. It was casting him into oblivion too, but he didn't care. Time slowed down for him. As more and more water dripped onto him, he felt himself fading. Maybe it was supposed to hurt, but it didn't to him. He smiled. He laughed. His mind cleared. He welcomed the rain.

Unbeknownst to Cole, Zane had planned to visit the graves as well. But he stopped on the top step when he saw Cole standing in the rain, his body gradually turning into green mist where the water touched him. Zane stood statue still, and without making a sound, detected Cole's emotions. It was like a bittersweet whirlpool of emotions; he sensed peace, relief, gratitude, the kind of joy you experience after smiling for the first time in as long as you can remember, and a hint of regret. Zane knew water killed ghosts, but he also knew this was what Cole wanted, and so he made no attempt to stop him. He just watched.

More green steam rose into the air, as if Cole was evaporating. Soon, you could hardly tell he was there. There were no pained thoughts in his mind anymore; all he felt was a sense of calm at last. Everything was getting hazy, but it was not unpleasant. It felt as if he was drifting off to a peaceful slumber he knew he could never be awoken from. A sleep he should have entered a long time ago, just like his friends had. A few more drops of rain was all it took and then he was gone, smiling until the very end.

Zane looked at the empty space Cole had been just moments before. He was gone. What did Zane feel? He did not know. He wasn't sure if he could feel anything anymore; he was just a robot, after all. Real humans could die, and he could not. He began to walk back down the steps, leaving the final resting place of the four deceased ninja--including Cole--undisturbed. As he made his way home, he couldn't help but to notice an arc of colors bright in the sky. A rainbow, attempting to cheer up the tearful sky with its colors. Zane paused to look at it, and something stirred inside him... a feeling. He wasn't sure which one it was, but it was there. Maybe he still had a little bit of a soul after all.

He didn't smile, be he felt as if his energy was renewed. He continued on his way, ready to tell Lloyd the news: Cole had finally found happiness again.

_**~ First there were three, and then there were two.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will post the next chapters after I finish editing/improving them. Thanks for reading!


	2. Break Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zane, the Nindroid, outdated but unable to die. If he couldn't protect any of his loved ones from death, what is his purpose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for taking such a long time to post this chapter, but here it is. Thank you for your patience! I promise the wait until the final chapter will be much shorter.

"Why didn't you _stop him?_ " Lloyd demanded, his voice raising with each word as his green eyes glared into Zane's ice blue ones. Zane had never seen him so angry. But the Nindroid didn't even flinch.

"It was what he wanted," Zane replied slowly, recalling Cole's peaceful smile as he let the rain consume him. He was not afraid of Lloyd's wrath. Could he even feel fear anymore? He had existed for so long, he wasn't sure if his robotic self was capable of emotion anymore.

"Are you _kidding me_?" Lloyd shrieked in a mix of rage and exasperation, although his voice seemed to crack with grief as well. "I thought you were built to protect those who cannot protect themselves, but clearly, Dr. Julien failed at programming that into you!"

Lloyd's eyebrows twitched as his face almost took on a look of regret, but immediately hardened again. Zane felt a sting in his chest, a flutter of emotion. It hurt.

The two of them stood, staring into each other's eyes as silenced touched the room. They were in Lloyd's home, a dojo he had started to teach a new generation the way of the ninja. Of course, the kids found it fun, but it also honored everything the ninja had done for Ninjago in the previous decades. Zane had waited until it was night so he could reveal the news to Lloyd while he wasn't occupied. Clearly Lloyd's newfound grief was what was fueling his anger; what had Zane expected?  He asked this to himself.

Finally, Lloyd opened his mouth as if to speak, but Zane spoke first. "I am going to go for a walk," he stated in a low voice, before turning around and pacing out the door. He heard Lloyd sigh behind him, perhaps one of guilt.

But Zane knew Lloyd was correct. Why did he still exist if he couldn't fulfill his purpose? He couldn't protect Kai, Nya, and Jay from death. He hadn't even tried to stop Cole. His falcon broke down long ago, and his father had died ever longer before that. He had no one left other than Lloyd, who now likely hated him. He was a failure.

* * *

 

"Zane. Are you okay?" Pixal's voice asked him, inside his head.

"Of course I am," he responded, as he sat leaning against the thick trunk of a tree. He was alone in the forest, the cool night air chilling his metallic body and the stars faintly glimmering through the branches above.

"I am glad," came Pixal's reply, her sweet voice echoing in his mind. "However, you seem to be feeling down. What is the matter?"

"Well Pixal, there is no reason for me to exist anymore. The world is at peace, so there is no longer a need for a ninja. Technology has advanced and I am obsolete, useless. My father built me to protect others, yet I haven't protected anyone for a long time..."

Little did Zane know, Lloyd had actually followed him into the forest, silent as a ninja should be. He watched, his heart wrenching, as Zane talked to himself and whispered Pixal's imaginary replies. The truth was, Pixal's drive had been destroyed in battle long ago and Zane hadn't been the same since. Yet nothing could convince Zane his true love was gone; his grief resulted in a malfunction just like human hallucinations. He thought he was talking to Pixal when in truth, she was long gone.

"Zane, I detect we are being watched," Zane whispered before standing and saying in a louder voice, "You're right, Pixal. Whom could it be?"

Lloyd hesitated as the blue lights that were Zane's eyes scanned his surroundings. It had been Zane's sixth sense to detect the green ninja's presence. Lloyd stepped out from behind a bush, and Zane faced him.

"Hey Zane, I'm really sorry about what I said. I just... my whole team is gone. Except for you," Lloyd murmured, trying to hold back tears welling up in his eyes. "You are not obsolete or useless. You will always be important to me, and you are my friend. Does that mean anything to you?"

Zane blinked and ignored Lloyd's words. "I think I should be deactivated. Could you do me a favor and transfer Pixal's drive to your computer, and then destroy my power source?"

"I am _not_ going to do that, Zane!" Lloyd snapped, his voice piercing the still night air. "Did you even hear what I _said_?"

"Pixal, do you think I should be deactivated?" Zane asked. Then he said to himself quietly, "Of course Zane, you failed your purpose and you are not needed anymore. I will be fine."

Lloyd grunted and grabbed Zane by the shoulders. "Stop it, Zane! This isn't you! And you _know_ Pixal would never say that! She loved you!"

Zane's expression was unreadable.

"Besides," Lloyd continued, loosening his grip on Zane's shoulders slightly, "Pixal is gone."

Zane was silent for a few moments before looking Lloyd straight in the eye and saying, "Pixal is here. Just because you cannot see her, it doesn't mean she is gone."

"Why would Pixal tell you to end yourself then, huh?" Lloyd challenged, struggling to control his frustration. "You're supposed to be a computer! Use your logic! You know Pixal's drive isn't there anymore! It got smashed to bits, remember?"

"Pixal is here," Zane said.

"I--"

"Pixal is here. Pixal is here. Pixal is here."

Lloyd couldn't speak as Zane repeated these three words again, and again, and again. He let his tears spill over; he didn't care, Zane wouldn't see anyway because he was lost in another world. All Lloyd wanted was to talk to all his loved ones one last time and tell them how much he cared about them. He wanted his friends back, he wanted his parents back, he wanted Wu back, and he wanted the real Zane back.

Lloyd walked away, his warm tears trickling down his cold cheeks. He still heard Zane repeating that phrase again and again, trapped in a delusion, as the green ninja strode through the trees, the undergrowth crunching beneath his feet.

"Pixal is here. Pixal is here. Pixal is here. Pixal is here. Pixal is here..."

* * *

 

Lloyd awoke the next morning as dawn painted the indigo sky paler shades of blue. As he forced his eyes open, he wondered why he felt so mentally exhausted, until he remembered the previous day's events. Cole was gone. Zane was... well, Lloyd just didn't know.

There was still time until the dojo would open, so after Lloyd changed out of his pajamas and combed his hair, he knew what he had to do next. He was going to check on Zane. If his Nindroid friend was still in the forest, Lloyd wasn't sure what he would do.  But he needed to know how his friend was, so with dread heavy on his shoulders, he made his way to the forest.

Trees. Birdsong. Dew on the grass. Early morning light filtering through the leaves above. All of these things would have be considered peaceful, but nothing could calm Lloyd's aching heart. He heard Zane before he found him, still mindlessly uttering his pained delusion. He hadn't moved.

"Zane...?" Lloyd murmured. The Nindroid did not react, and there was not a flicker of emotion in his eyes. It was as if he truly was a hunk of energized metal, all of his sentience faded into mist.

_And it's all my fault,_ Lloyd thought to himself as his throat closed up. He had to put an end to this; he couldn't leave Zane in the forest forever, stuck in an eternal loop. Yet he could never bring himself to destroy his friend... There was only one option. He did not know when--or if--he would ever undo his decision. But in the meantime, he felt that it was the only thing to do.

He gently opened Zane's control panel, and stared at his friend's blank, rambling face one more time before hovering his hand over the 'power' switch. Lloyd bit his lip as he felt he might sob, and with a flick of the switch, Zane's voice glitched out before falling silent. His eyes dimmed, his shoulders slumped, and his head drooped. Powered down, just like any lifeless piece of machinery. But Lloyd knew that Zane had once been just as alive as any human; with a mind, a soul, a heart. And while Zane hadn't died the way a human would, he had lost his life in another way.

And so Lloyd cried.

_**~ First there were three, and then there were two, and now there is one.  
** _


	3. The Last Ninja

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter in the 'Three Remain' story. Lloyd is now the last ninja left alive... it hurts to carry on.  
> Will he survive the grief?

Lloyd missed Kai's burning hot-headedness and fierce loyalty.  
He missed Cole's strength and indestructible protectiveness.  
He missed Jay's quick wits and awkward but comforting sense of humor.  
He missed Nya's confidence and strong sense of justice.  
He missed Zane's cold calculations and calming presence.  
He missed them, he missed them, he missed them...

The last ninja left alive: Master Lloyd. His team--no, his friends--were gone. He sat outside his dojo, staring at the night sky. The light of the stars blurred through his tears, his eyes still wet as he had been crying for quite a while.  Nothing was fair. Why did he have to be the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master? Why did he have to outlive everyone he cared about? Destiny was always choosing him for apparently great things, but none of it was great to him. None of it at all.

_Maybe... I should just do what Cole did,_ Lloyd thought, squinting shut his eyes. All it did was make his head spin as if it were performing spinjitzu of its own, so he reluctantly opened them again. _After all, I have nothing and no one left to live for._

True, he taught eager kids of today defensive ninja moves and valuable wisdoms, but what was the point? There was no longer a need for ninja. He and his dojo were the last remnants of a once great legend...

_Tomorrow,_ Lloyd promised himself, _I will end it all. I will finally rest instead of living without the very people who shaped my life. The way of the ninja will die with me._

As for tonight, he was tired. He got up on his feet, sighing heavily as he did so. He walked inside and straight to his room, not a trace of emotion stirring within him. He had made his decision. There was nothing left to think or feel or do or say. He just wanted one more night's worth of sleep... one more night of escaping the pain he had to live through every day. And so he clambered into his bed, huddling under the blankets and letting his eyes shut. By shutting off all thoughts from his mind, rather than the usual hours of tossing and turning with grief and despondence, he fell asleep almost right away.

At first, it was a dreamless sleep. Nothing but an empty cocoon of darkness and dead silence, almost comforting in a mysterious sort of way. Lloyd almost felt a hint of awareness, but he dismissed it, trying to bury himself deeper in the sweet embrace of his slumber...

but then, there was a light.

Tiny at first, like a single star in the center of Lloyd's mind. But then it grew, and as it did, Lloyd felt his body become warmer. The light grew and grew, until it became an enormous flash in Lloyd's vision. Lloyd felt as if he had been pulled from his sleep, and so he slowly opened his eyes. He expected to see the lonely, shadowy darkness of his room, but he still saw the same light that had filled his mind.

He squinted, no longer feeling as if he was in his bed. The light faded and he found himself staring up at the brightest blue sky he had ever witnessed, filled with golden clouds gently passing by. A soothing breeze brushed past, teasing his golden blonde hair. The softest, lushest green grass was sprouted beneath his feet. He should have been confused, but he felt at peace... and it took him a moment to realize that there were people standing before him.

Cole, Kai, Zane, Jay, Nya, and even Garmadon were all standing in front of him, smiles on their faces--it was the most beautiful sight he had seen in a long time.

"Am I dreaming?" Lloyd asked in disbelief as soon as the realization settled in, though something within him told him that he wasn't.

"No son, this is the Departed Realm," Garmadon replied, warmth and a hint of gentle amusement radiating from his voice. Lloyd hadn't heard that voice in such a long time... he wanted to cry.

"Am I... dead?" Lloyd dared to ask.

"No," Cole replied immediately. "Although... you were thinking of that, weren't you?"

Lloyd bowed his head. He knew what Cole was referring to. He didn't know how to respond, so he simply asked. "Is... everyone else here too?"

"Yes," Zane answered. "Misako, Master Wu, Morro, and Pixal too." He blinked. "Even Nindroids have souls."

"But we're here right now because we have something important to tell you," Kai explained. "You can't give up, you just can't! Because no matter what you think, we're still with you, and it'd up to you to keep the way of the ninja alive."

Jay nodded. "Not to sound too cheesy, but we're a part of you. Not just because you harness all our elemental powers, but... you're keeping our memories alive. Every move, every lesson, everything you teach to the new generation... you're helping the things you learned from us get passed down forever."

"We believe in you Lloyd," Cole said sincerely. "We know you're strong enough to honor our legacy for as long as you live, and when your time comes, we'll be here waiting for you."

"You can tell stories of all the adventures we had together," Nya added. "None of us will be forgotten."

Lloyd's eyes glimmered with tears as he gazed at the people he loved the most, letting their words sink in.

"I-I'm sorry..." he choked. "I understand now. I will keep you guys alive within me."

"That's all we ask, buddy," Kai said, grinning at Lloyd.

Then they all moved in and surrounded Lloyd in a big group hug, while he sobbed with emotion. His dad... his friends... they were here. They had always guided him and he knew they always would, and now it was his turn to guide the people of today.

He wasn't sure how long the hug lasted for, but soon, the world around him began to fade. As it did, the ninja whispered to him words of encouragement, their wonderfully familiar voices echoing in his mind.

"There's always a need for a ninja!"

"A ninja never quits!"

"Protect those who cannot protect themselves...!"

 

When the dawn came, and the tender sunlight filtering through the window woke Lloyd, he felt refreshed. All of his fears, all of his pain, all of his sadness felt washed away. He was ready to take on the new day, and teach  his students how to fight, how to protect, how to be confident, how to be wise, how to have hope... how to be a ninja. He'd tell them tales of everything he and his team had done to protect the land, and for as long as everyone remembered the ways of spinjitzu and the legendary ninja...

Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Nya, and Lloyd himself would live on in Ninjago forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this story is finally finished. I deeply apologize that this chapter took a super long time to post, again... admittedly I forgot about the story again, due to a lot of struggles in my personal life. But recently I remembered it, and I think I remembered it for a reason. I am glad to finally complete this story for you guys, and even though a lot of it is outdated due to things changing in the show, I hope it still stands fine as an AU.
> 
> I'm sorry if this chapter was short or badly written. I'm still not in the best of places but I didn't want to leave this story unfinished forever.  
> And remember this story was not meant to condone or glorify suicide. It is a thing that happens, it is a thing that people consider more often than you'd know... but it doesn't have to. There is always a reason to live on, even if you haven't found it yet. And even though it hurts to lose someone, remember the last thing they'd want is for you to be sad. Live a happy, long life and hold their memories close to your heart just like they would've wanted.
> 
> After all, some things are timeless... like the will to carry on and on and on (Do you get the Ninjago song reference?)
> 
> Thanks for reading, everyone!


End file.
